Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 640 Sulfur [Thank you! Thank you again! 39K more to be updated]

In the backyard of Zhou's archery shop,

Zhou Tong stroked his graying beard and said, "At such a young age, he is actually using such a large stone lock to train. It seems that he has amazing physical strength and outstanding talent!"

After saying this, Zhou Tong looked at Xu Zaijing with admiration.

Xu Zaijing was tall and had long arms, and Zhou Tong could tell at a glance that he had a natural talent for physical strength.

Xu Zaijing nodded in agreement.

Glancing at Xu Zaijing, Zhou Tong bowed and said, "I would like to thank Wulang for thinking of me."

"But, I won't hide it from Wulang. I have to go and see him in person to see if he will be accepted as my disciple."

Hearing this, Madam Zhou, who was standing nearby, looked at her father with some resentment.

Xu Zaijing smiled and said, "Of course, of course."

What Zhou Tong meant was to first look at the child’s character.

If a person has a bad character, the greater his ability, the greater the harm he will cause.

After chatting for a few more words, Xu Zaijing stood up and said goodbye.

Zhou Tong and Madam Zhou sent the man to the door of the shop. Looking at Xu Zaijing's back as he walked away, Madam Zhou said, "Dad, you really don't want to accept that kid as your disciple because he has a bad character? Wouldn't that offend the young master of the Marquis of Yongyi's mansion? You should just accept him as your disciple first and teach him martial arts when you consider it. Why did you say that?"

Zhou Tong put his hands behind his back and shook his head, saying, "If we speak out the ugly truth in advance, everything will be easy to handle. If he really has a bad character, will I, your father, teach him or not? If I teach him badly, do you think others can't see it?"

Madam Zhou nodded and said, "Yes! Daddy is really thoughtful."

Chai family,

Qiushengyuan,
In the warm house,
Yunmu and the other three maids each performed their duties. Some took the hand warmer, some untied the cloak straps tied around Chai Zhengzheng's chest, and some went to the side to serve tea and drinks.

Fu Yi held the hand warmer in one hand, took the cloak handed to her by Yunmu with the other hand, and turned to put it aside.

Yunmu followed Chai Zhengzheng on the carpet and walked towards the inner room.

Sitting on the chair behind the table, Chai Zhengzheng said, "Bring the incense burning items here."

"Yes, girl."

After Yunmu put the things away, Zi Teng also brought over the warming drink.

Looking at Chai Zhengzheng who lowered his head, Yunmu whispered:

"Miss, do you want to ask someone why Xu Jia Wulang went to Zhou's house today?"

Chai Zhengzheng, who was making incense with his head down, stopped and shook his head.

When Yunmu saw this scene, there was some surprise in his eyes.

Looking up at the maid, Chai Zhengzheng smiled and said, "I've been thinking about this all the way."

Hearing this, Yunmu on the side raised his eyebrows with a smile on his face.

"He is the legitimate son of the Marquis's family. He brought gifts to the Zhou family today. It's obvious that he has something to ask for."

"It's not what I guessed, but asking for advice on archery."

Looking at Chai Zhengzheng who was still talking, Yunmu asked in confusion: "Miss, what is it?"

Chai Zhengzheng said: "Think about the three disciples of the old master of the Zhou family?"

Yunmu's eyes turned, and he suddenly realized: "Oh! Yes"

Afterwards, Chai Zhengzheng, who was making incense, thought of something and lowered his head and smiled slightly.

in the afternoon,

The sun is setting rapidly and is about to set.

Near Quyuan Street,
A small courtyard along the street.

"Dong-dong-clang! Dong-dong-clang!"

There were sounds of gongs and drums outside the door.

Yuan Feixing in the yard looked at Qingcao with a puzzled look and said, "Sister, what's going on outside the door?"

Qingcao, who was packing her bag, smiled and shook her head, saying, "Nothing, just some kids from the old friends' families in the Marquis' Mansion playing the night hu."

As he spoke, Qingcao took out a string of copper coins from his sleeve and walked towards the courtyard gate.

Soon, after some thanks, Qingcao came back with a smile.

After glancing at his younger brother in the yard, Qingcao smiled and went into the house with him.

inside the house,

Qingcao tied up the bundle and said, "My dear brother, being able to be an apprentice at the Li family jewelry shop is something that many people would beg for. You must cherish it when you go there."

"Well! Sister, I thought I could spend the New Year with you." Yuan Feixing said in a gloomy tone.

Qingcao shook his head: "You are not young anymore. Learning a skill to support yourself is the most important thing! With the skill, it will be easier to find a good wife."

"No one knows about your life in your hometown, so don't keep it in your heart. Got it?"

"Yes!" Yuan Feixing nodded heavily.

"Tata! Qingcao, are you ready?" Qingyun's voice came from outside the door.

"Brother Qingyun, it's done!"

Qingcao said this and walked towards the door carrying her bag.

On holidays,

Xu Zaijing got up half an hour later than usual.
He would also often take his three maids to the racecourse, where he would practice martial arts while the three maids would practice sword dancing.

During the day I either read or completed my homework in the cold study.

During this period, I also heard that
The apology delegation sent by Northern Liao, carrying more than a dozen carts of compensation, has already checked into the post house.

At the beginning of the year, which is the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month,
Qingyun took Alan Xunshu and the others to Yichun Lane to bring the ordered New Year pictures, peach charms and other items back to the Marquis' Mansion.

Later, the Lu family sent several more trucks of fireworks.

Sun kept one car and distributed the rest to her relatives.

Six or seven days later,

Then it was New Year's Eve.
The city of Bianjing was decorated with lights and colorful lanterns everywhere.

in the afternoon,
The people returned home one after another.

Except for a few official restaurants which were still quite lively, there were hardly any people on other streets.

It wasn't completely dark yet.
Various fireworks and firecrackers began to explode sporadically.

After dark,

Various noises inside and outside Bianjing began to grow louder.

Huihefang,
The Mansion of Duke Lian

In the inner courtyard, there is a two-story wooden building.

"Boom!"

A large, bright, and loud firework exploded in the sky above the palace, illuminating Xu Zaijing and Lu Zezong on the second floor in an instant.

This year, Xu Zaijing was not confined to his home by the emperor. After watching the Nuo ritual with his sworn brother, he rode his horse around the city and came to the Lu family.

"Wow! It's so beautiful!"

Lu Zezong exclaimed sincerely.

Before Xu Zaijing could speak, Lu Zezong asked again: "Brother, what would it look like if these fireworks were launched horizontally on the battlefield?"

Xu Zaijing glanced at his brother and said with a smile, "Zong'er, what do you think?"

Lu Zezong thought for a while and said, “Well, it can hurt people, scare horses, and cause fire!”

Xu Zaijing nodded and praised: "Not bad!"

"Brother, I heard from my grandfather that the sulfur used in our Great Zhou was bought from Japan. Is this true?"

The Mansion of Duke Lian has a deep connection with the Ministry of Works, so they naturally understand the ins and outs of it.

Xu Zaijing was stunned and said with a smile: "Of course it's true!"

"One third of the huge fleets of our relatives, the Pan family and the Bai family, are dedicated to the sea transportation route to Japan."

“Many of these large ships were loaded with sulfur.”

"Oh!" Lu Zezong nodded: "Why do you want to buy it from Japan?"

Xu Zaijing smiled and was about to say that because the sulfur in Japan is of high quality and purity, it is convenient for making gunpowder and Chinese medicine, when Lu Zezong said, "Why don't we occupy Japan? Then we don't have to buy it."

Hearing this,

Xu Zaijing looked at his brother in silence, then patted him on the shoulder and said, "Zong'er, you are still a young man!"

"Brother, what are you talking about?" Lu Zezong asked.

Xu Zaijing smiled and said, "Nothing."

At this time,

Nanny Lu came up the stairs and said with a smile, "Young Master, Wulang, the old lady asks if you are going to set off the fireworks in the yard. If not, you can go inside and eat." "Set off, set off!" Lu Zezong shouted, pulling Xu Zaijing's sleeve.

After playing for a while,

Xu Zaijingcai and Lu Zezong returned to the house with the smell of fireworks and gunpowder on their bodies, smiling.

Huihefang South,

South Lecture Hall Lane,

Rong family,

Rong Xian is not at home this year, and without the main force in setting off firecrackers and fireworks, the yard feels a bit deserted.

In the warm main room,

"Wow, wow, wow!" A crying sound was heard.

"It's New Year's Day, why are you crying here!" Fuchang Hou frowned and said angrily.

The wife of Marquis Fuchang wiped her tears with her handkerchief:
"Erlang has been in my belly for so many years and has never left my side! Now he is thousands of miles away in the south, and I don't know how he is doing."

"Are you cold? Are you freezing or hungry?"

Rong Feiyan forced a smile and said, "Mother, the weather in the south is warm, my brother won't be cold."

The wife of Marquis Fuchang stopped crying and said, "Yan'er, is it true?"

Rong Feiyan nodded.

"That's good. Why hasn't your sister-in-law come over for dinner yet?" asked the wife of Marquis Fuchang.

"My sister-in-law said that my niece and nephew always cry." Rong Feiyan didn't finish her words.

The wife of Marquis Fuchang frowned and said, "Don't we have a wet nurse here? Why do we need her as an official's wife? Yan'er, why don't you go and take a look?"

Rong Feiyan pursed her lips and nodded, "Yes, mother."

Wearing a cloak to keep warm, Rong Feiyan led the maid out of the house.

The yard is decorated with lights at this time today, so there is no need to carry lanterns.

"Boom."

There was an explosion in the distance.
The Rong family's yard lit up for a moment.
Rong Feiyan looked up and could only see the edges and corners of the fireworks in the palace over the rooftops.

As they got closer to Rong Xian's yard, the cry of a baby reached Rong Feiyan's ears.

When I walked along the corridor to the door, there was no maid standing outside.

"Cry, cry, cry! This evil creature only knows how to cry!" Dou's voice came from inside the house.

"Madam, if it doesn't work, just hire a wet nurse! One wet nurse and two babies is really too much..." came the maid's voice.

"What are you going to add? Just starve this slave's evil creature to death!"

"Madam, this won't work. If something like this really happens, I don't know what the people in the capital will say about you!"

Xi Bu, who was standing by, glanced at Rong Feiyan, whose expression was uncertain. After waiting for a moment, he called out, "Madam!"

Rong Feiyan pretended not to hear the conversation, with a smile on her face, she walked straight into the house.

After entering the house,
Dou, with an unpleasant expression on her face, forced a smile at Rong Feiyan.

Rong Feiyan frowned, looked at her crying nephew with some disgust, and said, "Sister-in-law, why is this illegitimate child crying so hard! Please don't disturb my niece."

"It's okay," Dou smiled.

Rong Feiyan nodded: "That's fine. Sister-in-law, father and mother invite you to dinner. Let's..."

"Oh! Good! Let the nanny come over and hold the two little ones, and we'll go have dinner and stay up till the New Year."

The aunt and sister-in-law returned to the courtyard where Marquis Fuchang and his wife were.

inside the house,

Outside, Dou took off her cloak and went to the Marquis of Fuchang and his wife with her children and maid.

Rong Feiyan, who was following behind, moved much slower.

Ningxiang, who was standing by, looked at Rong Feiyan and whispered, "Young lady, seeing how fierce the lady is, how about we find a wet nurse for the young master? If not, why not bring him to our courtyard to raise him?"

Xibu looked at Rong Feiyan worriedly, frowned and lowered his voice, "Ningxiang, what nonsense are you talking about? The Marquis and the Madam are here, and the girl is still unmarried. What are you talking about bringing her to our courtyard to raise?! Where is the face of the Dou family if you do this?"

"Oh" Ningxiang said embarrassedly.

"Even if you can't bear to watch it, you still have to ask the Marquis's wife to speak and keep it in her arms." Xi Bu continued.

Rong Feiyan took a deep breath and nodded, "That's right, let's go."

Hearing this, Xibu breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to catch up.

Jiying Lane,
Sheng family,

Ever since the eldest wife came to Bian Jing, the Sheng family has been very lively every New Year.

In front of the main hall in the front yard,
The brothers and sisters from the two rooms gathered together and watched Changwu and Changfeng light firecrackers and fireworks in the yard.

"Sixth sister, the fireworks that my elder sister sent me look different from the ones I bought."

Before Rulan could finish her words, Changfeng covered his ears and ran towards her quickly.

Then there was a burst of crackling firecrackers.

"Third brother, let me order one, let me order one!" Pinlan was standing beside him, stretching her hand towards Changfeng.

"Here."

Chang Feng smiled and handed over the burning incense stick in his hand.

After Dongrong arranged the fireworks, Pinlan came over excitedly.

After several moves forward and backward, Pinlan finally lit the fuse.

As he ran back quickly, bright fireworks burst out and lit up the yard.

beside,

Sheng Changzhang held Wei Shuyi's hand, looked at the fireworks and then at his wife's face.

Wei Shuyi noticed the sight, reached out and touched his son's slightly cold face, and said with a smile: "Does it look good?"

Chang Qi looked at Wei Shuyi's eyes illuminated by the fireworks, rubbed her warm palm and nodded heavily: "Yes!"

When Minglan and Rulan were talking and wanted to light firecrackers.

Sheng Hong and Sheng Wei stood beside their respective mothers.

Looking at the rising fireworks, Sheng Wei said loudly: "Mother, my uncle said that you and aunt are too old to smell this, let's go in!"

Sheng Hong, who was looking at Lin Qinshuang beside Molan in the yard, turned around and said after hearing this: "Brother Wei is right, mother, your health is the most important thing, shall we go to the backyard?"

"it is good!"

The two old ladies smiled and nodded.

Back to the backyard,

The surroundings are much quieter.
The smell of gunpowder from firecrackers and fireworks is almost non-existent.

Sheng Hong and Sheng Wei chatted with the two old ladies in the backyard house, while the maids and nannies began to busy themselves with serving the dishes.

After playing for a while,

Everyone then returned to the inner courtyard.

After sitting down at the big dining table,

Sheng Hong smiled and suggested that the children recite a poem at the table.

After declining, Changwu stood up first, stammered out a poem, and then sat back in his chair.

Sheng Hong smiled at his son and said, "Changbai, come here!"

Wang Ruofu looked at Changbai with hope, and Rulan beside her said, "Mother, do you still have hope for my second brother?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Wang Ruofu turned her head and glared at Rulan.

Rulan curled her lips: "Second brother will not change, he will definitely remain the same"

Before he finished speaking, Changbai cleared his throat, bowed slightly to the elders at the table, and said loudly: "If you want to know that a young man at the age of 18 can still be boasted!"

When she sang the first line of Changbaiyin, Rulan looked at Wang Ruofu with an expression of "you see, right?", which made Wang Ruofu curl her lips.

Changzhu, who was sitting at the table with only his head showing, nodded repeatedly like a little adult, and no one knew what he understood.

New Year's Day,

Xu Zaijing went to visit people near Huihefang to pay New Year's greetings as he did the year before.
Naturally, I also met many girls from other families.

When I and the Lu family entered the palace from Donghua Gate,
Lu Zezong pulled Xu Zaijing, who was talking to Prince Consort Lu, and said, "Brother, uncle, look quickly."

Xu Zaijing looked in the distance as he was told, and saw Marquis of Xiangyang standing in front with a smug look on his face, followed by Qi Heng, who had a bitter look on his face and was holding a child in each hand.

Moreover, the Marquis of Xiangyang walked very slowly, bowing from time to time to talk to the nobles beside him.

When he saw Xu Zaijing and his group, he smiled and waved at them.

(End of this chapter)